'E.T.' Elliot star Henry Thomas lands 'Mentalist' role

Henry Thomas has signed up for a guest role on CBS drama The Mentalist.

The actor, best known for his role as Elliot in E.T., will play the brother of Lisbon (Robin Tunney), according to TV Guide.

A professional bounty hunter, Tommy Lisbon will cross paths with his estranged sister when the pair investigate the case of a murdered police officer.

"Everyone else in the Lisbon family is a policeman or fireman so Tommy is considered a bit of a black sheep," explained Mentalist creator Bruno Heller. "We'll see that he's the kind of ne'er-do-well who will bring his 12-year-old daughter on a bounty-hunting expedition."

Since appearing in 1982's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Thomas has starred in 1990 television movie Psycho IV: The Beginning and 2002 Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York.

He also previously appeared alongside Robin Tunney in 1997's Niagara, Niagara, while his most recent television credits include episodes of CSI and Without a Trace.